1996 Alumni Fellow
Dr. Nancy K. Jaax, DVM 1973
Nancy K. Jaax is chief of the pathology division at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases at Ft. Detrick, Md. She holds the rank of Colonel.
Jaax earned a bachelor of science degree in animal science in 1971 and a doctor of veterinary medicine in 1973, both from K-State. She completed the AMEDD Officer Basic Course in 1975 and the AMEDD Officers Advance Course in 1986, both at the Academy of Health Sciences in San Antonio, Texas. She attended the Command and General Staff College at Forth Leavenworth, Kan., in 1991.
She began her career at Ft. Lewis Washington where she was officer-in-charge of the Animal Medicine Branch from 1973 to 1975. She then held the same position with the 64th Medical Detachment in Kaiserslautern, Free Republic of Germany from1975 to 1978. From 1978-1979 she was officer in charge of the Animal Disease Prevention and Control Facility at Ft. Leavenworth, and from 1979 to 1983 she was a veterinary pathologist in training.
Jaax was chief of the comparative pathology branch for the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases at Ft. Detrick from 1983 to 1985. She was then at the U. S. Army Medical Research Institute for Chemical Defense from 1985 to 1989, first as a veterinary pathologist in the comparative pathology branch, and then as chief and task area manager in the pathophysiology division. She has been in her current position since 1989.
Her professional society memberships include the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, the American Veterinary Medical Assn., the Kansas Veterinary Medical Assn. and the Assn. of Avian Practitioners. She has been first author and contributing author of more than 20 publications.
Jaax has received several awards and honors including being selected as the consultant in military animal medicine to the USAEUR Chief Veterinarian from 1976-1978. She received the Order of Military Merit in 1989 and has been a consultant to the surgeon general, Veterinary Pathology since 1991. She was presented with an Army Commendation Medal in 1979, an Army Commendation Service Medal, first Oak Leaf Cluster in 1985, a Meritorious Service Medal, first Oak Leaf Cluster in 1989, an Army Medal of Achievement in 1990 and an Army Commendation Medal, second Oak Leaf Cluster in 1990.